Department for Transport

Land: Stonehenge

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government whether a (1) Highways England, or (2) National Highways, Environment Designated Funds grant was made to the National Trust as partnership funding towards the acquisition of 168 hectares of land at Stonehenge; and if so, what was the amount of that grant.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: National Highways Environmental Designated Funds have not been used towards the acquisition of the land at Stonehenge. National Highways is, however, providing a contribution of £3m from its Environmental Designated Funds to the National Trust to support a grassland reversion project in the Stonehenge landscape.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Climate Change: Local Government

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure thatlocal authorities are (1) resourced, and (2) supported, to tackle climate change.

Lord Callanan: In the Net Zero Strategy, the Government set out its commitments to enable local areas to deliver net zero. These include continuing the Local Net Zero Hubs Programme to support local areas with their capability and capacity to meet net zero; and funding work to develop business models to increase private sector investment in local net zero.

Universities: International Cooperation

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports in The Times on 23 January that more than 40 British universities “have links to Uyghur Genocide, weapons development, espionage, defence research and hacking”; what estimate they have made of the total annual revenue such collaboration generates; and what steps they are taking to deter universities from partnerships with bodies linked to authoritarian states.

Lord Callanan: The Government is aware of the reports in the Times on 23 January concerning British university collaborations with China. British universities are independent of Government and they have no obligation to report their revenues as they arise from overseas collaborations. The Government provides direct support to universities through the Research Collaboration Advice Team, a collaboration set up to help academia manage risks in international collaboration, embed good practice and to ensure that they understand the legislative and regulatory measures that apply. These measures are kept under review and will be strengthened where necessary.

Postal Services: Standards

Lord Wills: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take toensure that postal delivery providers, such as Amazon, comply with Ofcom’s (1) new guidance on improving their complaints process, and (2) new regulations improving protections for disabled customers.

Lord Callanan: The Postal Services Act 2011 designates Ofcom as the independent regulator for the postal sector with the powers to impose and enforce regulatory requirements on postal operators to fulfil its functions in relation to postal services. Ofcom decided to take targeted and proportionate steps to address consumer issues identified in its review of postal regulation in 2022. Ofcom committed to ongoing monitoring of the new provisions and considering enforcement action, or further regulation to protect consumers, if progress is not made.

Employment: Environment Protection

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of jobs in (1) offshore wind, and (2) the wider green economy.

Lord Callanan: The policies and proposals brought forward by the 10 Point Plan, Net Zero and Energy Security Strategies will support up to 480,000 green jobs across the UK. Through the Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme, the Government has made funding available to support investment in major port and manufacturing infrastructure. The Government is also working closely with industry, the education sector and other key stakeholders through the Green Jobs Delivery Group. The Delivery Group looks at ways of ensuring all sectors of the economy and parts of the country can benefit from the green transition whilst growing green jobs opportunities.

Small Businesses: Finance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide further support to Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) experiencing a shortage of financial resources to help them survive in the current economic conditions.

Lord Callanan: Businesses will have benefitted from the Government’s reversal of the National Insurance rise, saving SMEs approximately £4,200 on average, the cut to fuel duty for 12 months and raising the Employment Allowance to £5,000. The Energy Bill Relief and Energy Bill Discount Schemes will protect SMEs from high energy costs over the winter. The Autumn Statement announced £13.6 billion of support for businesses over the next five years, reducing the burden of business rates for SMEs. Support is available to SMEs across the UK through the Recovery Loan Scheme and the Start-Up loan scheme. The latter has provided 100,228 SMEs with Start-Up loans to the value of £941,064,690.

Cabinet Office

Government Departments: TikTok

Lord Leong: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made to determine whether the app TikTok is being used on any government-issued mobile devices; and whether they consider the presence of the app on government phones to be a threat to national security.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Cabinet Office maintains a constant dialogue with departments on their security and data concerns. Departments are required to manage all applications and services on their networks, taking into account security and data protection risks.Specific information on the use of any individual application is not routinely held centrally.With regards to the threat to national security His Majesty’s Government does not comment on these matters.

Honours

Lord Leong: To ask His Majesty's Government how many honours nominations were received for candidates of East and Southeast Asian origin in each of the last three years; and how many of those nominees received an honour.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Honours recipients are asked to anonymously complete a diversity monitoring form when they are offered their honour. The information collected is only used for statistical purposes to improve the diversity of the honours system.As per the data collected, the below table outlines the number of nominees who received an honour in the last three years who declared themselves as Asian. There is a further breakdown of the numbers of nominees who declared their ethnic group listed on the diversity monitoring form (using the agreed list of ethnic groups from the 2021 census).The Cabinet Office is unable to provide the data for all honours nominations received from nominees of East and Southeast Asian origin as honours are submitted to respective departments who carry out initial sifting ahead of submitting to the Cabinet Office. Therefore we do not hold the data for all nominations received.  2020 NY2020/BD20202021 NY2021/BD20212022 NY2022/BD2022Total Asian167162175Indian778193Pakistani343243Bangladeshi161817Chinese934Other312818

Customs

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely effectiveness of the UK Single Trade Window in 2023.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Single Trade Window will reduce the cost of trade by streamlining interactions with the Government at the border. It will enable traders to meet their import, export and transit-related obligations by submitting information to the Government once and in one place. We will design the Single Trade Window, in accordance with best practice, in full consultation with users of the border.We will share more information about the delivery schedule of Single Trade Window and its impact on customers at the UK border in due course.

Borders

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish (1) the 2025 UK Border Strategy, (2) the Target Operating Model for the UK border, and (3) further details of the Ecosystems of Trust concept.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The 2025 Border Strategy was published in December 2020 and set out the UK Government’s vision for our border to be the most effective in the world. It set out the technological and data innovations that will be required, as well as transformations in governance and reviews of controls and check regimes (1).The government will make an announcement on the Target Operating Model in due course. The government is already progressing work outlined in the Strategy, including the Ecosystem of Trust. We will publish the results of our innovative trials of new technologies at the border, known as the Ecosystem of Trust pilots, in Spring 2023 (2) and (3).

Emergencies: Risk Assessment

Baroness Chapman of Darlington: To ask His Majesty's Government when they will update theNational Risk Register 2020; and whether it will include the risk of school buildings collapsing.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The National Risk Register (NRR) will be updated in the coming months.The Cabinet Office works with all departments on the assessment of their risks, such as the safety of public buildings.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Immunosuppression

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Department of Health and Social Care on 27 January (127906), what the scope of the Covid antibody study will be; which body will be tasked to deliver the study; and what the study timeline will be.

Lord Markham: The Department has received an application from a research team to lead a study to establish if antibody testing can identify which immunosuppressed individuals remain at greatest risk of severe COVID-19 infection after vaccinations, and if possible, define testing thresholds for COVID-19 risk. This will aim to improve the understanding of COVID-19 risk in immunosuppressed individuals to inform future advice. We are currently working with the National Institute for Health and Care Research to assess the study proposal and an update will be provided when funding is confirmed.

Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of waiting times for mental health support on the incidence of self-harm.

Lord Markham: Whilst we have made no specific assessment, we expanded the scope of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy in 2017 to include addressing self-harm as a highlighted issue, and we continue to fund the Multi-Centre Study of Self-harm which is the most in-depth analysis and monitoring of self-harming trends in England. The NHS Long Term Plan also commits an additional £2.3 billion a year for the expansion and transformation of mental health services in England by 2023/24 so that an additional two million people can get the NHS-funded mental health support that they need.

Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average waiting time for mental health support from (1) Step 1 initial assessment, (2) Step 2 low intensity, and (3)Step 3 high intensity; and in each case, what is the level of variation from the average by Trust.

Lord Markham: The information requested is not collected centrally, as a national access and waiting times standard for both adults’ and children and young people’s mental health services has not yet been defined or set.

Drugs: Manufacturing Industries

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership Fulfilling the potential identified in the Government's Life Sciences Vision, published on 24 January, what assessment they have made of its findings that the UK has seen (1) a significant loss of traditional medicines manufacturing capacity over the last 25 years, (2) 7,000 jobs lost, and (3) a fall in production volumes of 29 per cent since 2009.

Lord Markham: Life Sciences pharmaceutical manufacturing was responsible for approximately £20.1 billion worth of exports in 2021. This figure is based on a US dollar figure of $27.7 billion, using the 2021 OECD average conversion rate.The official statistics from the Office for Life Sciences show that employment in core biopharmaceutical manufacturing employment declined between 2009 and 2019 but increased by 5% between 2019 and 2021. The Life Sciences Vision sets out an ambition to create a globally competitive environment for Life Science manufacturing investments. To help meet these ambitions, the Government launched the £60 million Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund in March 2022 to incentivise globally mobile manufacturing investments in the United Kingdom.

Drugs: Expenditure

Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the real terms decline in medicines spend since 2019 on (1) patient outcomes, and (2) foreign direct investment into UK research and development.

Lord Markham: An impact assessment was published in December 2022 as part of the consultation on the impact of changes to the Statutory Scheme for Branded Medicines. The Department has received materials from pharmaceutical industry Trade Associations and from individual companies about a wide range of issues relevant to both the voluntary and statutory schemes for branded medicines pricing. We will be considering this evidence over the coming weeks and will publish our response alongside the final impact assessment.The latest data published by the NHS Business Services Authority on prescribing costs in hospitals and the community for 2021/22 shows spending on medicines increased from £15.74 billion in 2019/20 to £17.78 billion in 2021/22, which is also an increase in real terms.

Health Professions: Migrant Workers

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask His Majesty's Government when the Cross-Whitehall International Recruitment Steering Group last met; and what steps they are taking to prevent abusive employment practices towards healthcare recruits from overseas.

Lord Markham: The Cross Whitehall International Recruitment Steering Group last met on 9 November 2022.On 15 December 2022 my Department published guidance on Applying for a Health and Care Job from Abroad. The guidance raises awareness about the risks involved in seeking a health or care job in the United Kingdom, sets out working rights and standards, how to identify and deal with exploitation and signposts to further help or support.In August 2022 the Code of Practice for International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel was updated and strengthened in several areas to address ethical concerns about employment practices, including setting four new principles on the use of repayment clauses.

Molnupiravir and Sotrovimab

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Kamall on 21 June 2022 (HL728), what is the "recent evidence" that "antivirals and neutralising monoclonal antibodies significantly improve clinical outcomes in non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19 who are at high risk of progression to severe disease"; and whether they will make this evidence available, including any supporting data.

Lord Markham: The response on 21 June 2022 referred to data from clinical trials conducted in 2021 that informed the decision to procure these treatments and to make them available on the National Health Service.This data being referred to in June included, for example, the EPIC-HR trial, for which results showed an 89% reduction in hospitalisation or death from Paxlovid compared to a placebo when administered within three days of symptom onset. Results from the MOVe-Out trial indicate molnupiravir reduces the relative risk of hospitalisation or death by 30% compared to placebo.A 2021 trial courtesy of Gottlieb et al. showed that among non-hospitalised patients at high risk for COVID-19 progression, a three-day course of remdesivir had an acceptable safety profile and resulted in an 87% lower risk of hospitalization or death than placebo.Interim analysis of the COMET-ICE showed that a single dose of the monoclonal antibody sotrovimab was found to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death by 79% in high-risk adults with symptomatic COVID-19 infection. There is, however, uncertainty whether the omicron variant has any impact on sotrovimab’s effectiveness, but the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency are working to establish this.On 28 November 2022, the NHS published Interim Clinical Commissioning Policy: Treatments for non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19 which summarises the evidence base for clinicians to consider. A copy of this document is attached.Interim Clinical Commissioning Policy: Treatments  (pdf, 384.4KB)

Care Workers and Health Professions: Migrant Workers

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask His Majesty's Government who is responsible for implementing the Code of Practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England; and what steps they are taking to enforce the Code with individual sponsoring organisations.

Lord Markham: The Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel, which is available in an online format only, applies to all organisations engaged in the recruitment and employment of international health and care staff. It is non-statutory guidance with no legislative enforcement powers.

Coronavirus: Immunosuppression

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government when the COVID-19 Therapeutics Clinical Review Panel held its last meeting; and whether the strategy to support at-risk patient cohorts has been recently reviewed, with particular reference to the accessibility of (1) Evusheld, (2) Paxlovid, and (3) other treatments.

Lord Markham: The Therapeutics Clinical Review Panel held its last meeting on 31 January 2023.There are no current plans for any further review of the Government’s decision not to procure Evusheld. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Single Technology Appraisal on Evusheld is expected to conclude March 2023.The Government will continue to support highest risk patients by providing community-based antiviral treatment through COVID Medicine Delivery Units, including the oral antivirals Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, as well as the monoclonal antibody treatment, Sotrovimab and the intravenous antiviral, Remdesivir. NHS England has been provided with funding to help integrated care boards transition treatment to more routine access routes, including via general practices/primary care. The Department is also currently working with COVID-19 antibody testing experts to develop a study which may be of particular interest to immunocompromised patients who struggle to mount a vaccine response. More information on the pilot study will be provided when the details are finalised.All antiviral treatments, including Paxlovid, are being reviewed as part of the NICE multiple technology appraisal process which is expected to conclude March 2023.

Coronavirus: Death

Lord Strathcarron: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the analysis in chapter 10 of the Technical report on the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, published on 1 December 2022, that non-COVID excess deaths are being caused by, among other factors, patients not receiving statins or blood pressure medicines during the pandemic.

Lord Markham: We have made no specific assessment; however, it is likely that a combination of factors has contributed to non-COVID-19 excess deaths, including high flu prevalence and health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Different organisations are producing diverse estimates based on differing methodologies.

Drugs: Prices

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the 27.5 per cent proposed increase to the statutory scheme payment included intheProposed update to the 2023 statutory scheme to control the costs of branded health service medicines, published on 16 December 2022; and whether this increaseis part of their commitment to their Life Sciences Vision.

Lord Markham: The Government remains firmly committed to the statutory and voluntary schemes for branded medicines and to working with the pharmaceutical industry to deliver on the ambitions set out in the Life Sciences Vision to create an environment that facilitates innovation for the development of medicines in the United Kingdom. The Department is consulting on a proposed update to the statutory scheme payment percentage for 2023. The proposed increase to the payment percentage of 27.5% will ensure continued broad commercial equivalence between the Statutory Scheme and the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access. We published an impact assessment of this policy titled Autumn 2022 update to the Statutory Scheme controlling the costs of branded health service medicines. A copy of the impact assessment is attached.Statutory Scheme Impact Assessment (pdf, 610.3KB)

Department for Education

Childcare: Reform

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to reform childcare, particularly staff-child ratios; and if so, what is their timetable for doing so.

Baroness Barran: The department is committed to supporting working families and parents back into employment, by improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare. We are currently exploring a wide range of options to achieve this ambition.The consultation on Childcare: Regulatory Changes, closed on 16 September 2022, and the department will respond in due course. We consulted on:Moving to the Scottish staff-to-child ratios for two-year-olds, from a ratio of 1:4 to 1:5.Amending early years foundation stage framework wording on childminder ratios, so it is clear that childminders have flexibility within their ratios in circumstances where they are caring for sibling children, or their own child.Seeking views on further options for reforming ratios in future, working with the sector and parents to shape the future regulatory framework.The department’s priority continues to be to provide safe, high-quality, and affordable early years provision for our youngest children.

Universities: Antisemitism

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government whether theyhave made any assessment ofthe Community Security Trust’s (CST) report Campus Antisemitism in Britain 2020–2022,published on 19 January, which shows a 22 per cent increase in university-related antisemitic incidents over the two academic years 2020/21 and 2021/22, compared to the two previous academic years; and whether they have raised its findings with universities in England.

Baroness Barran: The recent Community Security Trust (CST) report showing an increase in antisemitic incidents on campus over the last two years is deeply concerning. Universities should be safe and welcoming places for Jewish students, and they should do all they can to root out antisemitism.The department has encouraged higher education (HE) providers to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, to have absolute clarity of what constitutes antisemitic behaviour. So far, 245 providers in England have adopted the IHRA definition, including the vast majority of universities. We would urge those providers that have not yet adopted the definition to do so, and those that have, to ensure that they are fully complying with the definition.

School Meals: Sugar

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will revise school meal food standards to ensure that guidelines on children's recommended maximum daily sugar intake are displayed.

Baroness Barran: The standards for school food are set out in the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014. The Regulations ensure that schools provide children with healthy food and drink options, and make sure that children receive the energy and nutrition they need across the school day. The Standards define the foods and drinks that must be provided, those which are restricted, and those which must not be provided. Foods high in fat, salt and sugar, including high sugar foods and confectionery, are restricted.The current standards provide a robust yet flexible framework to ensure that pupils in England continue to receive high-quality and nutritious food, that builds healthy eating habits for life.

Schools: Buildings

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need for more long-term investment to raise the quality of school buildings.

Baroness Barran: Safe and well-maintained school buildings that support a high-quality education are a priority for the department. That is why we have committed £1.8 billion in the 2022/23 financial year to improve school buildings across England, as part of over £13 billion allocated since 2015.In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will carry out major rebuilding and refurbishment projects at 500 schools across England, with buildings prioritised based on their condition. There are now 400 projects in the programme. The most recent set of 239 schools were announced in December 2022. All new buildings in the programme are designed to the department’s standards, including being net zero carbon in operation.This financial year, eligible schools have also received an allocation from an additional £447 million in capital funding for improvements to buildings and facilities, prioritising works to improve energy efficiency.The department has carried out the Condition Data Collection (CDC) to understand the condition of the school estate in England and how it is changing over time. This directly informs investment in the condition of school buildings. Individual CDC reports are shared with every school and the academy trusts and local authorities responsible for those schools, to help inform their investment plans alongside their own more detailed condition surveys and safety checks. CDC2 is currently underway to ensure the department maintains an up-to-date understanding of the condition of school buildings.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, or plan to take, to combat educational underachievement; in particular, amongst groups of pupils within society with low academic attainment.

Baroness Barran: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.The government is committed to improving outcomes for all pupils. This will be achieved through the actions set out in the Schools White Paper to realise our ambition for 90% of children to leave primary school having achieved the expected standard in Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths, and that in secondary schools, the national GCSE average grade in both English language and in maths will increase from 4.5 in 2019 to 5, both by 2030.The Schools White Paper outlines further actions to support schools and pupils. This includes an ambitious and stretching curriculum and improving behaviour and attendance levels. To underpin these reforms, the department will continue to work with schools, trusts, local authorities, and dioceses to build a stronger, fairer school system.The Levelling Up White Paper, published in February 2022, also sets out a mission to raise attainment in 55 Education Investment Areas, with a particular focus on 24 Priority Education Investment Areas which have experienced sustained educational underperformance.The department knows that reforms we have overseen so far are delivering improvements. The proportion of schools now rated by Ofsted as Good or Outstanding has risen from 68% in 2010 to 88% in 2022.In the 2022 Autumn Statement, it was announced that the overall schools funding will increase by a further £2 billion in the 2023/24 financial year and another £2 billion in the 2024/25 financial year, over and above totals confirmed in the 2021 Autumn Budget and Spending Review.The department knows that disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are disproportionately represented in those cohorts not meeting expected standards. The Pupil Premium helps fund evidence-based, targeted interventions, as well as broader improvements that will benefit these pupils and help to raise their attainment. Additional support also includes the National Tutoring Programme, where funding has been allocated to schools based on rates of disadvantage. Over two million tuition courses have started since 2020, and six million courses will be delivered by 2024.The department is also reforming the SEND and Children’s Social Care systems, spending £2.6 billion in high needs capital funding over the next three years to deliver new places and improve existing provision for children and young people with SEND, or those requiring alternative provision.

Confucius Institutes

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Security Minister on 1 November 2022 that Confucius Institutes “pose a threat to civil liberties in many universities in the United Kingdom”, what steps they have taken to close those Institutes.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they assess that the threat to freedom and democracy in the UK posed by the government of China is increasing; if so, whether they believe that Confucius Institutes are part of such a threat; and if not, why they have said that they want to reduce influence of Confucius Institutes.

Baroness Barran: The government will continue to underline the importance that the UK places on defending human rights, and of speaking out and taking action where there are concerns. We need to evolve our approach to China into one of robust pragmatism, which is recognised and understood by our allies and partners. As my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, has previously said, China poses the greatest long-term security challenge to the UK economy and more widely, because of the behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party. The government is committed to doing more to adapt to its growing impact and we are constantly monitoring our position.The government continuously assesses threats posed to the UK. As a matter of longstanding policy we are unable to release information regarding threat assessments on the grounds of National Security.The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill will require and empower registered higher education (HE) providers in England to push back on freedom of speech related threats from overseas. It will also require the Office for Students (OfS) to monitor the overseas funding of registered HE providers and their constituent institutions, in order to assess the extent to which it presents a risk to freedom of speech and academic freedom in HE. This includes the reporting of educational or commercial partnerships, and therefore includes arrangements with Confucius Institutes. The Bill will allow the OfS to take appropriate action, including issuing penalties, if there is evidence that an HE provider has breached its freedom of speech duties.Like all similar bodies, Confucius Institutes should operate transparently and with a full commitment to our values of openness and freedom of expression. Universities have a responsibility to ensure that any partnership with a Confucius Institute is managed appropriately, and the right due diligence is in place. The department would encourage any providers with concerns to contact the government.

Universities: Finance

Baroness Chapman of Darlington: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of Englishuniversities facing financial difficulties; and what assessment they have made of the impact closure could have on local communities.

Baroness Barran: The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England. The OfS monitors the financial viability and sustainability of providers registered with them to ensure they have an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector.The OfS latest published report can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/445d176e-e61c-4e95-a76a-7acb7e5bb654/financial-sustainability-2022_corrected-sept-2022.pdf. It stated that despite the many operational and financial challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall aggregate financial position of universities, colleges and other registered HE providers remains sound. However, there continues to be variation in the financial performance and strength of individual HE providers. The department recognises that the situation remains challenging, and that providers will need to adapt to uncertainties and financial risks to protect their longer-term sustainability.Officials meet regularly with the OfS to oversee the overall climate for HE provider financial sustainability and to identify emerging key risks and issues for the English HE sector as a whole.The financial sustainability of the HE sector is essential to the future success of the economy and society, including local communities. Universities are autonomous and independent, meaning they are responsible for the decisions that they make in regard to their operating model, day-to-day management and sustainability.The department supplies annual funding via the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) to support teaching and students in HE, including expensive to deliver subjects, such as science and engineering, students at risk of discontinuing their studies, and world-leading specialist providers.The recurrent SPGS budget is £1,397 million for financial year 2022/23, which is 5% higher than last year. This includes an additional £56 million in recurrent SPG, an additional £10 million to support the expansion of medical student places agreed by government in 2016/17, and an additional £1 million in HE Innovation funding. We are investing an additional £750 million over the next three years to support high quality teaching and facilities including in science and engineering, subjects that support the NHS, and degree apprenticeships.As part of the £750 million, we have provided the OfS with £450 milloon of capital funding for financial years 2022/23 to 2024/25. Almost £400 million of this funding has been made available through a bidding exercise to target funds at key strategic priorities, including high-cost subjects and level 4, 5 and degree apprenticeships.One hundred providers were successful in securing funding for capital projects that will directly help us achieve our skills reform ambitions to strengthen HE and better align skills training to the needs of employers to enable communities to thrive.If a provider was at risk of an unplanned closure, the department’s priority would be to work with the OfS, the institution and other government departments to ensure students' best interests are protected.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ukraine: War Crimes

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) financial, and (2) technical, support they haveprovided to (a) the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into war crimes in Ukraine, and (b) other justice, accountability and investigatory mechanisms in Ukraine, since 24 February 2022.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Those responsible for the atrocities committed in Ukraine will be held to account. Last year the UK made a £1 million additional voluntary contribution to modernise the ICC's evidence analysis capacity and is providing capacity building training to ICC investigators, including in the fields of digital forensics and financial investigations. A Metropolitan Police liaison officer is now stationed in our Embassy in The Hague. To support Ukrainian domestic investigations, alongside the US and EU, we launched the Atrocity Crimes Advisory group. This includes a £2.5 million package of support for the Office of the Prosecutor General and training to police and the judiciary.

Ukraine: Armed Conflict

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government what support they have given to embedding(1) conflict-related sexual violence expertise, and (2) child-specific expertise, in all (a) national, and (b) international, mechanisms currently investigating violations of international humanitarian law and human rights in Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is providing £2.5 million to the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group, to support Ukraine's domestic investigations and prosecution of international crimes, including sexual violence and crimes against children. We have deployed the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative team of experts to support the Office of the Prosecutor General. We are supporting the International Criminal Court in the provision of evidence collection and psychosocial support, and UN Women in providing conflict-related sexual violence expertise and mentoring to the Ukrainian authorities.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan regarding (1) the destruction of an Ahmadi Mosque in Gujranwala in Pakistan on 8 December 2022, and (2) the case of Maira Shahbaz who was abducted, raped and forcibly converted in 2020; whether they have reminded that government of its obligations under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and if so, what response they received.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: I raised the treatment of Ahmadi Muslims with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on 30 January. On 9 January, Minister of State for Development Andrew Mitchell also raised this issue with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. On 14 October 2022, I raised forced conversions with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights. We are not prepared to discuss the detail of individual cases where to do so could put individuals and their families' lives at risk.

Hong Kong: Judges

Lord Leong: To ask His Majesty's Government how many UK citizens are working as judges in Hong Kong.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government does not hold data on the number of UK citizens working as judges in Hong Kong.The decision to withdraw serving UK judges from Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal (CFA) was made by the President of the UK Supreme Court in March 2022.We are aware that 6 retired UK judges remain as non-permanent judges on the CFA. As private citizens, it is for the individual legal practitioners to decide on their service overseas; the UK judiciary and legal profession are independent from the Government.

Ministry of Defence

Ammunition and Guided Weapons

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the stockpile levels of ammunition and missiles held by the UK armed forces have been reassessed in light of the levels of Ukrainian and Russian expenditure during fighting in Ukraine.

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government how many types of ammunition and missiles are stored in UK.

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the stockpiles of ammunition and missiles are at the 100 per cent-level that plans require.

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government how many ammunition and missile supply firms have commenced 24-hour, 7-day operations since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Baroness Goldie: The UK currently stores a significant amount of ammunition and missiles to meet the operational and training requirements of our Armed Forces. It is not however possible to comment on specific stockpile levels, as this information is operationally sensitive. The UK’s stockpile levels are continually assessed, and the Department is looking at the lessons that can be learned from the conflict in Ukraine. The UK Government remains fully engaged with industry to ensure both the continuation of supply to Ukraine, and that all equipment and munitions granted in kind from UK stocks are replaced as expeditiously as possible. It is up to industry to implement the working patterns they deem appropriate to meet the delivery schedule of each contract.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fishing Vessels

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to banning super trawlers such as the FV Margiris from fishing in UK waters.

Lord Benyon: We are considering our policies for large pelagic trawlers, commonly known as supertrawlers, working to develop more robust management of the non-quota species which these vessels are targeting alongside quota stocks. Any action needs to be evidence-based and in line with the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) continues to monitor fishing activity in English waters – with dedicated enforcement and surveillance work to protect fisheries, including offshore patrol vessels for at-sea surveillance.

Shellfish: North East

Lord Shipley: To ask His Majesty's Government why permissionto check deep sediment samples for (1) pyridine, and (2) other dangerous substances, at dredging and digging locations on the River Tees has been refused.

Lord Benyon: The MMO have not yet received a request for a licence or for advice to sample in the relevant area. Sampling of sediment from the seabed does not necessarily require a Marine Licence from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) if certain criteria are met. Information on when a licence from MMO may be required for sediment sampling can he found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/marine-licensing-sediment-analysis-and-sample-plans.

Agriculture: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the farming community in achieving net zero emissions by 2040.

Lord Benyon: Environmental land management is the foundation of our new approach. Our recently announced Countryside Stewardship Plus will target actions and payments to maximise delivery against priority environmental outcomes, such as net zero. Landscape Recovery, which will initially focus on biodiversity, water quality and net zero, is for landowners and managers who want to take a more large-scale, long-term approach. We published further information on the growth and rollout of our environmental land management schemes on 26 January, which contains the full range of actions, including those that support net zero.Together with environmental land management schemes, we have the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, which supports farmers to achieve our net zero goals by: incentivising the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock through tackling diseases and improving productivity, supporting the Net Zero Strategy and the 25 Year Environment Plan.Other farming schemes which support achieving net zero include the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, which provides funding for farmers and other land managers to work in partnership with National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty bodies to deliver projects for climate, nature, people and place. The Government anticipates our environmental land management scheme, the Farming Innovation Fund and other farming offers will reduce agricultural emissions by up to 6 MtCO2e per annum in Carbon Budget 6 in England.

Landscapes Review

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Benyon on 18 January (HL Deb col 1816), when they will publish their response to the Landscapes review (National Parks and AONBs): implementing the reviewconsultation, which ran from 15 January 2022 to 9 April 2022; and what measures in that review have already been implemented.

Lord Benyon: The Government will publish a response to our public consultation shortly, ensuring that the proposals fit with the upcoming Environmental Improvement Plan. Our Farming in Protected Landscapes programme is a key part of implementing our response to the Landscapes Review and provides funding to deliver projects on the key themes raised by the review including climate, nature, people, and place.We are helping to create a new partnership to enable National Parks, AONBs and National Trails to achieve closer collaboration on national priorities. Natural England is progressing the landmark designation programme which includes the consideration of two new AONBs and two extensions. This is expected to be completed by 2025 and will play a key role in meeting the government’s commitment to protect and improve 30% of UK land by 2030. Further measures and additional details will be set out in the consultation response.

Home Office

Rasmus Paludan

Lord Sarfraz: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent incitement to violence and hatred by Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan; and whether they will consider refusing him entry to the UK on the grounds that his presence will not be conducive to the public good.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Government does not comment on individual cases.The UK Immigration Rules provide for the refusal of a visa application if a person’s character, conduct or associations make it undesirable to permit them entry to the UK.

Prevent Independent Review

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government whenthey expect to publish the Shawcross Review on the Prevent counter terrorism strategy.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Independent Review of Prevent has been received by the department. The Government is now reviewing the recommendations in their entirety and will publish the Independent Reviewer's report and the Government’s response in due course.

Stop and Search: Hertfordshire

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government how many reported instances ofstop-and-search occurred in Hertfordshire in (1) 2022, (2) 2021, (3) 2020, and (4) 2019.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Office collects and publishes stop and search data on a financial year basis. The table below shows the number of stop and searches recorded by Hertfordshire Constabulary in the last four financial years. This includes searches under section 1 of the Policing and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (and associated legislation) and section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Financial YearNumber of stop and searches2018/197,1312019/207,9312020/219,8812021/227,335 The data can be accessed in full here: Police powers and procedures: Stop and search and arrests, England and Wales, year ending 31 March 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Gender Based Violence

Lord Farmer: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 9 June 2022 (HL Deb col 1240) that re-categorising crime types and publishing a “violence against men and boys” strategy could lead to complaints from women and domestic abuse organisations, what steps they have taken to confirm this concern is justified.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: Our Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan, and the commitments they make, address all victims of these crimes, regardless of gender. These documents were informed by the Violence Against Women and Girls Call for Evidence. It received over 180,000 responses, including over 500 written submissions from experts, academics, and stakeholders, with a broad spectrum of representation across domestic abuse charities and organisations. We also ran several focus groups on specialist areas, including male victims, migrant victims/survivors and perpetrator management. We analysed responses and found a set of key themes. They included a call for a joined-up response to supporting victims and survivors and for a more co-ordinated approach across government and society to tackling these crimes. It is our assessment that the introduction of a separate strategy for ‘violence against men and boys’ could be perceived to directly contradict this feedback. We do understand that there are specific challenges that male victims of these crimes do face. This is why we published the refreshed Supporting Male Victims policy document in 2022, which strengthens the government’s response to male victims.

Slavery

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have consulted voluntary sector organisations working with victims of modern slavery on the text of the draft guidance for Modern Slavery Reasonable Grounds decision making referred to by the Minister for Immigration in his Written Ministerial Statement of 13 December 2022; and when this revised guidance will come into effect.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Modern Slavery Unit has consulted with key stakeholders and modern slavery first responders throughout the development process for the updated Reasonable Grounds Statutory Guidance update. The updated Reasonable Grounds Guidance was published on 30 January 2023 as part of the Modern Slavery: Statutory Guidance for England and Wales (under s49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015) and Non-Statutory Guidance for Scotland and Northern Ireland. This change in guidance builds on and simplifies much of the current guidance to ensure decision making at the Reasonable Grounds stage is robust and consistent while still providing scope to consider instances where a referral may be received with very little additional information.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how manypeople evacuated from Afghanistan under Operation Pitting in August 2021 were separated from (1) their partner, and (2) children under the age of 18.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The recent update to the published 'Afghan Resettlement: Operational Data', shows that, at 4th November 2022: 22,833 individuals from Afghanistan have been brought to safety in the UK (since the end of June 2021). Whilst Home Office are currently not able to provide a breakdown of this data for family members, work is underway to assure information relating to all the individuals relocated under the ARAP and ACRS on case working systems. Once this work concludes, further statistics on both schemes - including the number of people resettled under each - will be included in the published Immigration Statistics.

Slavery

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish the guidance on providing 12 months’ support to modern slavery victims who hold a positive conclusive grounds decision.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: We are currently reviewing the commitment made regarding the provision of 12 months’ support to victims who have received a positive Conclusive Grounds decision, both in light of the urgent need to tackle misuse of the National Referral Mechanism and in order to consider how to best serve the individual needs of modern slavery victims The Government remains committed to ensuring confirmed victims of modern slavery can access appropriate needs-based support in line with international and domestic legal obligations. Where required, confirmed adult victims of modern slavery who have outstanding recovery needs will continue to receive appropriate support under the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract in England and Wales, alongside support provided by wider statutory services.

Independent Anti-slavery Commissioner: Public Appointments

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the recruitment of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The UK has led the world in protecting victims of modern slavery and we will continue to identify and support those who have suffered intolerable abuse at the hands of criminals and traffickers. The Home Secretary recognises the importance of the role of Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, and has committed to running a new open competition to recruit for this role, and the process will begin shortly.

Asylum: Children

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that unaccompanied migrants under the age of 18 have gone missing from hotel accommodation; what safeguards they have in place to protect such children; and what links they have identified between these disappearances and human traffickers.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: We take the welfare of those in our care extremely seriously. We have robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) in emergency interim hotels are as safe and supported as possible whilst we seek urgent placements with a local authority.Young people are supported by team leaders and support workers who are on site 24 hours a day. Further care is provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses. Staff, including contractors, receive a number of briefings and guidance on how to safeguard children. All UASC receive a welfare interview on arrival in the UK. This includes a series of questions specifically designed to understand whether there are any potential indicators of trafficking. A referral is made to the National Referral Mechanism if indicators are noted. A safety plan is put in place by social services.. The Home Office and its accommodation providers have robust processes in place to ensure that where someone is at risk, they are referred to the appropriate statutory agencies of the police, NHS and social services, to promote appropriate safeguarding interventionsThe Home Office has no power to hold asylum seekers, including minors, in hotels or any temporary accommodation if they wish to leave. Once in a hotel where UASC are accommodated, there are various measures in place to ensure that the risk of a child going missing is minimised. Records are kept and monitored of children leaving and returning to the hotel. Support workers will accompany children off site on activities and social excursions, or where specific vulnerabilities are identified.

Slavery: Children

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether any missing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are in some form of modern slavery.

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government what contractual obligations hotels must meet to provide contingency accommodation for asylum seekers; and whether those obligations include a requirement to ensure unaccompanied asylum-seeking children do not go missing.

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to provide powers, or (2) to take other measures, to prevent unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in hotels or any temporary accommodation from going missing.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office has no power to hold children or adults in contingency hotels if they wish to leave. To minimise the risk of a child going missing, records of minors leaving and returning to the hotel are kept and monitored. Support workers accompany children off site on activities and social excursions, or where specific vulnerabilities are identified.All asylum seekers, including under 18s, have an interview on arrival in the UK which includes a series of questions specifically designed to understand whether there are any potential indicators of trafficking. A referral is made to the National Referral Mechanism if indicators are noted. In the case of children, a safety plan is put in place by social services, whilst adults identified as potential victims of modern slavery are entitled to care and support provided by the Salvation Army. The Home Office and its accommodation providers have robust processes in place to ensure that where someone is at risk, they are referred to the appropriate statutory agencies of the police, NHS and social services, to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions. All contingency sites have security staff and providers liaise closely with local police to ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents.The safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers in our care is of paramount importance to the Home Office. We expect high standards from all of our providers, and we have a robust governance framework in place to manage service delivery of the Asylum Accommodation Support Contracts (AASC). Details of the AASC can be found at: New asylum accommodation contracts awarded - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).

Offenders: Deportation

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the efficacy of the practice of deporting foreign national offenders at the conclusion of their custodial sentences, where appropriate.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Our priority will always be to keep the British public safe. That is why foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them and more than 12,200 have been removed since January 2019.We make every effort to ensure that a foreign national offender’s removal by deportation coincides, as far as possible, with their release from prison on completion of sentence, however we can face significant and complex challenges when seeking to deport them to their country of origin.That is why the Nationality and Borders Act makes provisions to streamline the appeals process by introducing an expanded one stop process aimed at reducing the extent to which people can frustrate removals through sequential or unmeritorious claims, appeals or legal action. The Act makes it easier and quicker to remove FNOs and those with no right to be in the UK, it extends the period an FNO can be removed from prison under the early removal scheme (ERS) from a maximum of 9 months to 12 months, providing the minimum requisite period has been servedWe remain resolute in our commitment to deport those who would abuse our hospitality.

Asylum: Deportation

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Murray of Blidworth on 3 January (HL4341), whether data will be (1) collected, and (2) published, on the number of unsuccessfulasylum seekers who are removed from the UK under the UK–France Joint Statement of 14 November 2022.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The deal agreed by the Home Secretary and Minister Darmanin on 14 November set out joint strategic objectives and a joint operational plan to drive forward co-operation to tackle illegal migration. The agreement encompasses a range of operational activity including the deployment of surveillance technology, French patrols and intelligence sharing. Details can be found in the November 2022 Joint Statement. Broader data on collection and publication of asylum related returns can be found in the Migration Statistics releases on gov.uk.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Parking: Codes of Practice

Lord Lipsey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 12 October 2022 (54476), why the Private Parking Code of Practice has not yet come into force.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Code was laid in Parliament in February 2022, after being written in conjunction with key industry and consumer stakeholders and subject to public consultation.In June the DLUHC received two legal challenges from some members of the private parking industry against the decisions in the Code to introduce new levels of parking charges and to ban additional fees that are often added when those charges are not paid. In response, we temporarily withdrew the Code to undertake an impact assessment and further consultation, ahead of taking new decisions on these elements of the Code, on which my department is to consult further. I will confirm consultation timelines in due course.I appreciate that this delay is frustrating, but I can assure you that I am keen to raise standards while following robust process to ensure that we create a new system that works for all.

British National (Overseas): Employment

Lord Leong: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) financial, and (2) training, support they are providing to British national (overseas) (BNOs) citizens born after 1997 to help them enter the UK job market.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The British National (overseas) (BNOs) Welcome Programme was launched in April 2021, providing a UK-wide support package that comprises an easily accessible universal offer and targeted support for those most in need. The universal offer is open to all BN(O) visa holders in the UK and includes a network of 12 virtual Welcome Hubs across the UK, funding for voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to deliver national and regional projects and a comprehensive Welcome Pack on GOV.UK.The Programme also funds targeted support, provided by local authorities, on a demand-led basis for individuals requiring additional assistance in English language provision and destitution support. Although, the BN(O) visa has the 'no recourse to public funds' (NRPF) condition attached, any BN(O) visa holder who finds themselves destitute or at risk of destitution may apply for their NRPF status to be lifted to allow them to access financial assistance.The Programme also funds VCSE organisations at a national and regional level to provide employability support for BN(O)s visa holders. VCSE organisations have facilitated seminars, one to one coaching sessions and entrepreneur networking events to boost skills, confidence and provide interview practice to help BN(O) visa holders obtain employment in line with their experience. Furthermore, estimates are that over 60,000 individual instances of support by our funded VCSE organisations have been delivered over the first 5 months. The list of VCSE organisations funded by HMG can be found (attached) here.VCSE Year 2 grant schemes (pdf, 380.7KB)

Northern Ireland Office

Schools: Northern Ireland

Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to paragraph 28 of Annex A of the New Decade, New Approach Deal, published in January 2020, what steps they have taken to establish the connected classroom programme across the UK

Lord Caine: Following significant preparatory work after the publication of the New Decade, New Approach deal, it has become apparent that there is currently no viable delivery route for a connected classrooms programme that meets the key requirements of regularity, propriety, value for money and feasibility. Delivery of this programme will, therefore, not be pursued at this time though this will be kept under review.

Castlereagh Foundation: Finance

Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to paragraph 25 of Annex A of the New Decade, New Approach Deal, published in January 2020, how much funding they provided to establish the Castlereagh Foundation.

Lord Caine: The amount of funding requested to establish the Castlereagh Foundation will be a matter for the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression.